Grrr.

I've been trying to figure out the last of my flex-spending money for 2009. I have a ton of receipts for OTC meds, but there will still be about $150 in the account. I figured I'd have no problem spending that because I take weekly allergy shots. I have to pay for six months of the serum they inject into my arm at a time. The vials cost $270. I figured I'd just buy the next set early and be done. But I just called the allergist's office. They can't bill me for them until they are due -- in February. I don't know if that will fly when it comes time to get reimbursed. Of course I can always go and buy $150 in over the counter meds... but I don't need meds right now and they would expire before I could use them.

I'm going to call the insurance company and see what they say. I should be able to buy this stuff in advance of actually needing it, especially since I can buy tylenol or cold meds or zantac in advance of needing it. And I KNOW that I will need it since it's not like my allergies are going to just disappear.

OTC cold and allergy meds should be good for a couple of years -- It might be a good time to stock up?

Just got off the phone with them. They say they can't reimburse for it if I pay in advance. I guess I'll just stock up like you said. It's just annoying because I will be paying for it in 5 weeks anyway.

We always bought OTC meds, and Bandaids....lots of freakin band aids. Once I even bought PG tests and sold them on ebay....LOL

We are doing a FSA for the first time this coming year. Yesterday I got a debit card type deal with very little explanation. I am so confused... I thought it was reimbursed and if so why do I need a card and why did they send sheets to fill out for reimbursement with the card? I now know why I did not do this before.

ahhh the joys of being uninsured! LOL I never had a FSA when I had insurance. we just had copays. but its cool that they will reimburse you for OTC meds.

tara wrote:We are doing a FSA for the first time this coming year. Yesterday I got a debit card type deal with very little explanation. I am so confused... I thought it was reimbursed and if so why do I need a card and why did they send sheets to fill out for reimbursement with the card? I now know why I did not do this before.

You can pay with the card only for purchases that contain just the approved items. For example, if you went out and only bought cold meds. But if you want to get a gallon of milk and not have to check out twice, you would pay for it with your own money and then request a reimbursement. Check their website and it should have a link to a PDF that lists details of what is covered and what isn't.

I'm certainly happy that I have this extra benefit, and don't mean to be complaining about it. I'm just annoyed that I can't get the medicine that I will need in only a few weeks and instead can only get stuff that I'm currently stocked up on.

OH girl, I wasnt insinuating that you were complaining. I dont envy anyone who tries to fiqure out insurance at ALL. I know when we had it I spent SOOOO many freakin hours on the phone trying to fiqure out who I could see, what I could get, why I couldnt see a certain doctor, why they decided after they approved something that they wouldnt cover it, and why they wernt covering it at the correct amount. I know that ONE day I stayed on the phone with them from 7 my time, to well after 5. I was in tears, my kids were filthy, hungry, miserable, the boys were both small, Matt was just born, brett was a little over 1. I was post partum, it was an awful day. and Istill didnt get anything solved. We had to start over the next day.

So, yes, be thankful you do have insurance, but dont ever feel bad for complaining. LOL I honestly dont miss having to call them or fiqure out their double speak BS. LOL

When I cancled our insurance when it went up to like 400.00 a month out of pocket before we bought the first RX or went to the DR. (about 8 years ago)- I sat down and did the math, what we used, what we spent, and how many hours on average I had to beg and plead with them on a monthly basis for what we did use and didnt use, what I could do and couldnt do, and why I had to go through a chain of Dr's to see the ONE Dr I needed to see, etc.

I actually was spending more money/time than we used in a years of having benifits. LOL

That is the reason I cancelled ours, we simply do not use all the bennies, and were actually spending more than we are now without insurance.

We also do not have insurance because it cost me more than paying cash for the services we need. I worry what I am going to do when it is mandated that we must have insurance. We are barely staying afloat in this economy as it is.
Sorry to get off topic there. As for the FSA stuff. Try seeing what otc things you can stock up on (checking dates of course) at the Walgreens, CVS or Riteaid, that are a good deal or even make you money. Look for expensive stuff you might need but never usually afford. Like special bandaids or those Thermacare things (if they qualify that is). If you end up with more than you will use, you can donate otc meds to many food banks, shelters, etc. Just call around and see who will take them before you go to donate them.

MIL has informed me that she spent hers on Advil, Bandaids, and tampons....so I will be getting a care-package...

That's a good idea about making a donation with them. I may do that. I bet women's shelters could use a donation like that.

I'm mostly stocked up (enough to last months) on the stuff we use regularly. I'm going to check the available rebates and RRs, just in case there's a deal.

No matter how much of a PITA insurance companies are,DO NOT UNDERESTIMATE the benefit of having coverage.Out of nowhere I needed 4 surgeries.One of them cost my ins company 100,000 dollars plus anestesiologist plus hospital stay plus tests etc etc

I wouldn't underestimate it, but ours have "coverage caps" and would not have covered anything anyway. We have had a few things come up, which we have simply paid OOP for, namely Kristin's C/sec, that costs alot.

I paid a small fortune out of pocket last year but without a doubt it was worth it. The ER trip on vacation with EKGs and MRIs would have cost us our house if we didn't have it. Most of the time it probably would be cheaper to forgo it but it's not a risk I am willing to take while I have the option. I have no desire to see bankruptcy or lose all I have over a medical bill. Same goes for car and home and life insurance, I'm thankful to have it.

Well I just got back from the drug store. I spent all the money plus about $50 extra just in case something that I thought was allowed isn't covered. I was able to to get about $40 in register rewards at Walgreens, so that is good. I got two digital thermometers, some Mucinex (which is insanely expensive), rubbing alcohol, neosporin, and children's ibuprofen. Except for the Mucinex, I was already stocked up on cold meds, and I bought a ton of bandaids last month when they were on sale, so I didn't get any of that.

I loved having insurance, and I wish I still did. For me, the hard part was that we could only afford it if our deductable was high. That meant that I was still trying to go to the doctor only in an emergency!

Glad you got some good deals.
I wish we were insured. I have been uninsured, had private insurance and had full paid insurance from my job, all in my lifetime. The job I no longer have, so that is not an option. My husband is self employed, so no insurance offered at his job. When I did have private insurance, not only was it expensive, they fought me on paying anything. I had to file a complaint once with the Ill Dept of Insurance just to make Blue Cross cover what I had paid for. Currently private insurance is not even an option, because we are not making it every month as it is. We are slipping farther into the hole every month. So while I wish we at least had insurance for major medical, we do not due to the expense of it.

I'm with you Kleenaechs. thats how it is here.
we could get it through BR's job. But for 550.00 (at least) a month?? not unless I let my house go. LOL There is literly NOTHING I could let go to get that kind of money.

We just take it all day by day. If we get sick, we go to the Dr. and still dont pay what we would in insurance premiums for the month. (and have to add in the copays on top of that... )

Sure I skip on things, but you gotta do what you gotta do.

kleenaechs wrote:Glad you got some good deals.
I wish we were insured. I have been uninsured, had private insurance and had full paid insurance from my job, all in my lifetime. The job I no longer have, so that is not an option. My husband is self employed, so no insurance offered at his job. When I did have private insurance, not only was it expensive, they fought me on paying anything. I had to file a complaint once with the Ill Dept of Insurance just to make Blue Cross cover what I had paid for. Currently private insurance is not even an option, because we are not making it every month as it is. We are slipping farther into the hole every month. So while I wish we at least had insurance for major medical, we do not due to the expense of it.

sorry times and things are so hard for you right now.... I wish you a better 2010.

kleenaechs wrote:Glad you got some good deals.
I wish we were insured. I have been uninsured, had private insurance and had full paid insurance from my job, all in my lifetime. The job I no longer have, so that is not an option. My husband is self employed, so no insurance offered at his job. When I did have private insurance, not only was it expensive, they fought me on paying anything. I had to file a complaint once with the Ill Dept of Insurance just to make Blue Cross cover what I had paid for. Currently private insurance is not even an option, because we are not making it every month as it is. We are slipping farther into the hole every month. So while I wish we at least had insurance for major medical, we do not due to the expense of it.

I am nearly in the same position. We are just holding steady, but then something comes along and we slip a little behind. So far we have been lucky and aren't in much debt. I have some debt on a credit card, but I'll be paying it all off once I get my tax refund and the reimbursement for the flex-spending I did this month. But I worry because we don't have much in the way of a cushion.